Parachute



Oct. 10, 1939. .P. J. swoFFoRD PARACHUTE Filed Feb. 10, 1938 ,2 Sheets-Sheet l r gnmamio v PETER J- SWDFFORD F. J. SWOFFORD PARACHUTE Filed Feb. 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 grvue/vvio'v Pf TEHJSWOFFORD Patented on. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PARACHUTE Peter J. Swolford, Arlington, Tex. Application February '10, 1938; Serial No. 189,881

4v Claims. (01. 244-442).

This invention relates to parachutes and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and efiicient parachute wherein a hollow band is provided around which the parachuteor parachute portions are arranged in a manner to provide a maximum amount of buoyancy and also in a manner to minimize the danger of entanglement of the guy webs or cords.

A further object of this invention is the pro-' duction of a simple and emcient parachute having a collapsible and expansible central body portion to which the various parachute portions are secured in a manner to facilitate the attachment of the ends of the guy webs at the circumference of a relatively large circular band formed around the body thereby minimizing the danger of the entanglement of the guy webs while the parachute is opening.

Other objects and advantages oi. the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawings: 7

Figure l is a side elevational view of the parachute in an extended or open position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view with certain parts in side elevation, through the parachute certain parts being broken away;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the body looking at the inner face of one of the air vent valves;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the invention showing a single parachute portion of the umbrella type carried by the body of the parachute.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that ii) designates the body of the parachute which preferably comprises an elongated fabric tube closed at its upper end Ii, and having an open lower end i2. This body i0 is provided with a plurality of transversely extending spaced reinforcing fabric bands l3 extending circumferentially around the body III, as shown in the drawings, and the body I0 is also provided with spaced longitudinally extending reinforcing fabric bands M. which may be secured in any suit able or desired manner to the fabric tubular body If].

A pilot chute of suitable design indicated by the numeral I5 is preferably secured to the upper closed end H of the body It) and this pilot chute I5 is preferably secured to the upper closed end H of the tubular body Ill by suitable fabric guy webs It. Any suitable type of pilot means, however, might be employed for accomplishing the desired purpose without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In carrying out my invention, I preferably provide an upper parachute portion of the umbrella type indicated by the numeral H, and interme diate parachute portion i8, and a lower parachute-portion l9, which are arranged one'above the other and which encircle the tubular body in. Any suitable number of these parachute portions might be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention. The parachute portions i1, i8 and is are all similarly constructed and it is thought'necessary only to describe the detail structure of one parachute portion and that parachute portion designated by the numeral Ii will be specifically described.

The parachute portion H is secured, as shown inFigure v2, to the outer face of the tubular body l0 near'its upper end I! by means of a fabric band or other suitable securing means 20, and 'thisparachute portion I! is provided with a pluand contracts therewith. The detail parts of the parachute portions l8 and I9 are designated by similar numerals as those used in connection with the parachute portion H with the addition of the coeflicient af in connection with parachute portion IB, and the addition of the coefficient b used in connection with the por- It will be noted thatfthmz circular web band 25 of the portion I1 is, securedto the tubular body Hi at a point adjacent the upper end of the parachute portion Hi, and the circular wefc portion 250. of the parachute portion 18 is cured to the tubular body portion In near upper end of the parachute portion is. cular web band 251) of the parachute portion I9 is firmly secured around the lower o en end of the hollow tubular body iiily Figures 1 and 2. A suitable he t as suspended from the lower end of the tut-war body H! as shown in the drawings. The fabric web or webbing described above is preferably of the flat fabric web type although cords may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is found preferable, however, that fabric webbing be employed for the reason that such material is not likely to become entangled and tends to lie flat both when packed, as well as when in an extended position.

In order that the expansion of the hollow fabric tubular body I0 may be facilitated, I preferably provide a plurality of spaced apertures 21 within the length of the body 10 which apertures are preferably elliptical in shape having their longest axes extending transversely of the body. Fabric valve flaps 28 are stitched or otherwise secured to the inner face of the body In, as shown in detail in Figure 5, these flaps 28 being preferably stitched to the body along the bottom edge 29 and end edges 30, the upper edge being left free and these valve flaps 28 overlie the apertures 21 in the manner shown in Figure 5, thereby permitting air to pass in the direction of the arrows through the apertures 21 and into the interior of the hollow tubular body III. This action will cause the hollow tubular body to expand or to open when the parachute is released in a conventional manner, and as the air catches under the edge 22 of the upper parachute portion while the parachute is in the process of opening the body will also be further expanded or opened from a collapsed to an extended position. As the successive parachute portions l1, l8 and I9 open fully to the extended position, and the body In is also extended or fully opened from a collapsed to a fully extended tubular formation, the air pressure within the hollow tubular body In being greater than the air pressure without due to the fact that the air will be confined within the hollow tubular body ID, will cause the valve flaps 28 to close tightly over the inner faces of the valve openings 21 and prevent the escape of air therethrough, in this way adding greatly to the buoyancy of the parachute.

In Figure 6, I have shown a modified type of my invention illustrating a single parachute portion and by carefully considering Figure 6, it will, be seen that 3| designates the hollow collapsible tubular body having a closed upper end 32 to which is secured a pilot parachute portion 33, the lower end of the tube 3| being open, as at 34, from which open lower end is suspended a conventional harness 35. The tubular body 3| is preferably reinforced in a manner similar to that previously described with respect to Figure 1 through the medium of the longitudinally extending reinforcing web portions 36 and the transversely extending portions 31. A parachute portion 38 of the umbrella type, is secured at its upper end, as at 39, to the body 3| and carries radiating reinforcing webs or ribs 40, the ends of which extend beyond the outer periphery of the parachute portion 38 and constitute guy webs 4| which are connected to the circular band 42 carried by the lower open end of the body 3| in a manner similar to that described with respect to the structure shown in Figure 1.

One of the important features of the present invention is the fact that the parachute is so constructed as to constitute a hollow tubular body portion which may be expanded or extended automatically from a collapsed to an open position by the action of air passing into the hollow tubular body moving and expanding the connecting band to which are secured the guy webs, thereby supporting the guy webs at their inner ends around the circumference of a circle and not having a common central point as is usual with parachutes of the general type illustrated and described. This arrangement will greatly minimize the possibility of entanglement of the guy webs and the construction and arrangement illustrated and described will provide a reinforced parachute construction of maximum strength and durability and at the same time provide a parachute which will not possess excessive weight.

It of course should be understood that the size of the parachute portions l8 and I9, or the parachute portion 38, which constitute wings, and the distance of spacing, will depend largely upon the number of parachute units or portions used and the weight to be carried. The guy webs or shroud cords because of their particular arrangement, as illustrated and described, will prevent the shroud cords and webs from becoming entangled, and the arrangement of these webs or bands will provide a sturdy chute which will not be likely to side-slip or whip-crack the pilot or person being supported upon the parachute. Furthermore, the particular arrangement will facilitate the packing and shipping, and will eliminate excessive weight. I

It should be understood that certain detail without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new is:

l. A parachute of the class described comprising an elongated hollow tubular collapsible fabric body, a plurality of superimposed parachute portions of an umbrella type carried by the body and circumferentially and exteriorly mounted thereon, bracing means secured to the parachute portions and also to the exterior of the body adjacent the adjoining parachute portion, said body having apertures formed therein for the admission of air through the sides of the body to the interior of the body, and upwardly opening valve flaps secured to the inner face of the body adjacent the apertures and adapted to normally close the apertures when pressure from within the body exceeds pressure from without the body.

2. A parachute of the class described comprising a hollow collapsible tubular body closed at its .upper end and open at its lower end whereby air may be admitted into the body through the lower end for automatically expanding the body from a folded and collapsed position to an extended position, and a parachute portion carried by the body and exteriorly surrounding the body intermediate the ends of the body whereby one portion of the tubular body extends above and another portion of the body extends below the parachute portion to provide a stabilizing means for the parachute portion when the body and parachute portion are extended.

3. A parachute of the class described comprising a hollow collapsible tubular body, closed at its upper end and open at its lower end whereby air may be admitted into the body through the lower end for automatically expanding the body from a folded and collapsed position to an extended position, a parachute portion carried by the body and exteriorly surrounding the body intermediate the ends of the body whereby one portion of the tubular body extends above and another portion of the body extends below the anemia parachute portion to provide a stabilizing means for the parachute portion when the body and parachute portion are extended, said body having vent openings located directly under the parachute portion and shielded thereby, and means cooperating with said vent openings and adapted to flt thereover for automatically closing the openings when pressure within the body exceeds pressure from without the body.

4. A parachute of the class described comprising an elongated hollow tubular collapsible fabric body, a plurality of superimposed parachute portions 0! an umbrella type carried by the body and .circumi'erentially and exterlorly mounted thereon, said tubular body extending above and below' all of the parachute portions, bracing means secured to the parachute portions and also to the exterior of the body adjacent the adjoining parachute portion, and said body having valve means for controlling the entrance of air into the body, said valve means being adapted to'automatically close when pressure within the body exceeds pres- 1 sure from without the body,

PETER J. SWOFFORD; 

